Blind Ambition Part II Ambition Realised
by Purupuss
Summary: The story of Blind Ambition continues on - heading home. Ending number one - now complete
1. Thirty Two

"Blind Ambition Part II - Ambition Realised"  
  
'Heading Home'  
  
Thirty Two - AR  
  
"I can't see." Scott repeated.  
  
"Hang in there Scott!" Virgil urged him. "Remember the doctor told you that your night vision might take longer to recover. It's still pretty dark in here."  
  
"He's right Scott." The doctor agreed. "Just relax. I'm not worried yet."  
  
"I'm glad someone isn't." Alan couldn't resist saying and then ducked his head as Gordon took a half-hearted swipe at him.  
  
The lights continued to inexorably brighten.  
  
Every one of them continued to fix their gaze on Scott's blue eyes, willing them to show some kind of recognition. Something that would show that the week of stress would soon end.  
  
Scott's grip on Virgil's hand was starting to hurt, but Virgil didn't complain. The pain of the thought that his brother might be permanently sightless was far worse.  
  
Scott was staring in front of him. His eyes showed no sign of life.  
  
John was thinking 'I can't take much more of this.'  
  
Grandma Tracy laid her hand on Jeff's shoulder and squeezed it, as much to reassure herself as her son.  
  
Virgil glanced down at his now white fingertips and then back up into Scott's face. He was just in time to see Scott blink. He felt the grip lessen somewhat.  
  
"Scott?" he urged with suppressed excitement. "You saw something didn't you."  
  
"I... I don't know. I thought I saw a... flash of light."  
  
"Well did you or didn't you?" Gordon squeaked.  
  
"I think I... Ow." Scott closed his eyes and looked away. "Something's pretty bright in here."  
  
They all looked where Scott had been staring. They couldn't see any source of light.  
  
Then it was Jeff who saw a bright flash. "Doc! Could it be the light reflecting off your watch?"  
  
"It's possible. Scott what can you see."  
  
"Shapes! They're pretty vague, but I can definitely make out shapes." Scott sounded as if he were trying to keep the excitement out of his voice.  
  
"Yes!" John exclaimed.  
  
"That's good." The doctor maintained a professional air. "Are they becoming clearer?"  
  
"Yes. I'm getting some colours too!"  
  
"Which ones?"  
  
"Blue and a kind of reddy grey. And these two have got to be Alan and John," Scott pointed at his two brothers, "'cause their hair is so pale." Scott was looking around now. "I can't see your features, but I can tell who's who."  
  
"The light's only about halfway to full illumination." The doctor informed him. "Your vision will get better."  
  
"I can see yellow now. Is it me or are those walls a terrible colour."  
  
"Trust me. It's the walls." Virgil said with feeling. "I've had to live with them this past week. Count yourself lucky you haven't had to look at them."  
  
"I don't know. I could get to like them." Scott smiled, his eyes taking in everything. "Grandma. I always liked you in that top. The colour suits you."  
  
"Why thank you Scott." And Scott was pleased to see her cheeks redden and dimple as she smiled.  
  
"How's thing looking now?" The doctor asked.  
  
"Kinda out of focus. I might have to borrow Brains' specs for a while."  
  
"Brains?" The doctor was confused.  
  
"He's a friend of ours." Alan explained. "He's got very thick glasses."  
  
"Hey Scott!" Gordon thrust out his hand. "How many fingers am I holding up?"  
  
"Two. And what did you do to your thumb?"  
  
"Oh." Gordon looked at the blackened nail. "I was doing a bit of maintenance and Thu.. the hatch slipped."  
  
"Ouch." Scott commented.  
  
"That's not what I said at the time."  
  
"Speaking of 'ouch'." Virgil felt he finally had to speak up. "I've only got one good hand, Scott. Mind if I keep it?"  
  
"Sorry Virg." Scott released his grip.   
  
Virgil shook the numb limb vigorously to get some feeling back into it. "Look! The fingers have gone white!"  
  
"So they have." Scott said. "All five of them." Despite the pain of pins and needles, Virgil couldn't help but grin.  
  
John stretched out his long legs. He kicked something. "Hey what's this?" With some difficulty he managed to extract the long object from underneath the bed. He held it up.  
  
"It's my cane." Scott exclaimed. "Guess I won't be needing that anymore." 


	2. Thirty Three

Thirty Three - AR  
  
Scott was looking around, drinking in the sights that only minutes ago he'd feared he'd never see. His family were all smiles, the doctor was looking pleased with himself, and even the utilitarian hospital room seemed, to Scott, to be a thing of beauty. His eyes fell on a nurse standing beside the doctor. Even before his accident he would have considered her to be something special in the looks department. She flashed him a heart-melting smile, said something quietly to the white coated man at her side, and left the room.  
  
He dragged his thoughts and eyes back to Virgil. "Boy you're a mess!"  
  
"Charming!" Virgil pretended to be affronted. "After all I've done for you these last few days. Taking you for walks. Talking with you half the night. Putting my own health at risk..." Gordon and Alan got out their invisible violins and started playing. "Anyway..." Virgil concluded. "If you want to see a mess, just wait till I get a mirror."  
  
At that moment Scott didn't care what he looked like. At least he'd be able to see.  
  
***  
  
Later in the day, when the family had gone home, Scott was sitting on his bed gazing at the ceiling deep in thought. "Virgil?"  
  
"Mmmn" Virgil was reading a magazine.  
  
"Who was that gorgeous 'Angel of Mercy'?"  
  
"Who?"  
  
"That nurse who was in here when the bandages came off."  
  
"Oh her!" Virgil smirked. "THAT was 'Crabby Nurse Stone'."  
  
"You're kidding me!"  
  
"I'm not! A bit different to what you'd imagined?"  
  
"I'll say." Scott sagged against the pillows. "I'd pictured someone about Grandma's age with a face like a wrinkled prune."  
  
"You know she was only 'crabby' for our own good."  
  
"I can't believe the things I said to her."  
  
"Because you now know that she's beautiful? She's still the same person. I didn't think that you were that shallow."  
  
Scott couldn't ignore the guilt that was welling up. "No, not because she's beautiful. Because I've never treated anyone like before. I feel terrible? There were times when I was horrible to her. I still haven't apologised."  
  
"You realise that those walks she took you on were in her own time, when she was off duty?"   
  
"No! Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"It was all part of my plan. While you were being the evil brother, I was hopeful she'd look to me, the good brother, for solace."  
  
"You swine! Any luck?"  
  
"No, her hands were a problem."  
  
Scott was flummoxed. "Her hands?"  
  
"She had a wedding ring on them."  
  
"Oh, I can see that would be a problem."  
  
"Not that either of us are much in the looks department at the moment." Virgil said lightly.  
  
"I'll say. That's some shiner you've got."  
  
"You should have seen it a couple of days ago. I wouldn't have enough colours in my palette to give you an idea of how it looked."  
  
They were each caught up in their thoughts for a moment.  
  
"Hey Virgil."  
  
"Hey Scott."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Virgil was surprised. "For what?"  
  
"I don't know. For helping me. For being here when I needed you. I think I would have gone crazy without your support. Even if you did go collapsing all over the place."  
  
"Only the once."  
  
"Yeah. Well. Thank you for everything."  
  
"You're welcome. As I said a few days ago, you would have done exactly the same for me if the roles had been reversed..." Virgil hesitated in thought again. "...And you did. The way everyone's been carrying on, I think you probably saved my life."  
  
"Yeah I got that impression too. No one's actually told me how bad you were."  
  
"No, me neither. I suppose I've got the right to ask."  
  
"I don't see why not. Hey! Is that your chart at the bottom of your bed?"  
  
"Good spotting Sherlock." Virgil crawled to the bottom of the bed and took the chart. He sat back and his eyes widened as he read it. He gave a low whistle and flopped back against his pillows. "I'm not too clued up on medical technology but... See what you make of it." He reached across and handed the chart to Scott.  
  
"What happened to patient confidentiality?" Scott laughed and took the chart. Most of the notations were unintelligible and out of focus, but, by using a magnifying glass, Scott was able to understand a graph on page three. It clearly showed Virgil's blood pressure and heart rate from two days ago. The lines on the printout dropped alarmingly to touch the x axis that ran along the bottom. If Scott was reading the graph correctly the lines had remained there for almost half a minute.  
  
Scott looked back over at his brother, who'd lost a touch of colour. Scott's own good humour had gone. "Virgil! If I'm reading this correctly... you were dead for 28 seconds!"  
  
"Yeah." Virgil said flatly. "That's how I read it too."  
  
"No wonder Father didn't hang about to tell anyone. He must have been in a right state. How do you feel now?"  
  
"How do I feel? I don't know. I think I'm in shock. I don't feel dead."  
  
Scott gave a wry grin. "That's 'cause you're not. You're not thinking clearly. You're not going to be dead if you're living."  
  
Virgil gave a short laugh. "Now where have I heard that before?" 


	3. Thirty Four

Thirty Four - AR  
  
Scott was awoken by a voice. He struggled for a moment to get his bearings, it still being quite dark.  
  
"Leave me alone! I don't want to come with you!"  
  
"Virgil?"  
  
"NO! Keep back!"  
  
"Virgil?" Scott repeated and then swung his legs over so that he was sitting on the edge of his bed. "You awake Virg.?"  
  
"I don't want to go!"  
  
Scott got out of bed and walked over to Virgil's. Although his still healing eyes made it seem as though the room was totally dark he found his brother with the ease of a weeks practise.  
  
"Virgil" he said quietly. "Wake up, you're dreaming." He touched Virgil on the arm.  
  
With a yell Virgil sat bolt upright. "Wha....!"  
  
"Hey, calm down. You were dreaming."  
  
"Dreaming?" Virgil leant over and switched on the light.  
  
"Ow!" Scott raised a hand to shield his eyes from the glare. "Careful! They're still not adjusted yet."  
  
"Sorry." Virgil redirected the beam.  
  
Scott looked at him. His younger brother had been perspiring heavily and appeared to be forcing himself to be calm. "That must have been some nightmare."  
  
"Nightmare. Yeah it was." Virgil wiped his face with his hand.  
  
"Want to tell me about it?"  
  
"No. It was nothing. Go back and get some sleep."  
  
"What's the time?" Scott still couldn't focus properly on the clock.  
  
"5.30."  
  
"I'm never going to get back to sleep now, so you may as well tell me."  
  
"Okay." Virgil slid back up his bed so that he was sitting up against his pillows. "I was at home. Boy was I glad to be home."  
  
"Only a few more hours now."  
  
"I know, thank heavens. Anyway, I walked into the lounge and everyone was there. Just sitting around looking depressed. Really depressed. I had no idea why. No one took any notice of me so I thought I'd go play on the piano."  
  
Scott smiled. "Typical."  
  
"I sat down and the keyboard lid was closed, so I tried to open it, but it was locked. I thought 'Alan's been playing a trick on me', so I asked him to unlock it. He didn't pay any attention to me, no one did."  
  
"That's odd."  
  
"Yeah, I thought so. Then Gordon came into the room dressed in fancy dress, and I thought, 'Good old Gordon trying to cheer everyone up'. But I thought his choice of clothing wasn't the most appropriate - if he was trying to make anyone laugh."  
  
"What was he wearing?"  
  
"Long black robe with a hood and carrying a scythe."  
  
"Ah." Scott agreed. "Not the most cheerful getup."  
  
"No one took any notice of him. And then I realised that Gordon was sitting on the balcony staring out to sea."  
  
"So who was it?" Scott said in surprise.  
  
"That's what I wondered until the figure stretched out a skeletal hand and beckoned to me. That was when I became scared. I yelled out to you and Brains to help me, but you didn't hear me. And then I started running. I had to get away, so I went over to my slide... you know." Virgil mimed, with his hand, the action he took when the painting tipped backwards to take him to Thunderbird Two. Scott nodded his acknowledgment. "Next thing I was sliding down and I felt safe... until I reached the bottom. Instead of folding as normal I found myself flat on my back on some kind of platform. Then I realised that there were sides to the platform and that they tapered down towards my feet and it was lined with satin."  
  
"Comfortable." Scott said dryly.  
  
"I let out a yell and jumped out pretty darn quick I can tell you."  
  
  
  
"I can imagine."   
  
  
  
"I didn't want to look inside. I had a feeling that I knew exactly what, or more correctly who was going to be in there."  
  
"You?"  
  
"Me."  
  
"And was it?"  
  
"Yes. I started backing away and then I heard something behind me. I turned and there was the figure, 'Death', staring at me. Just the robe, the scythe and that horrible hand beckoning to me. I started backing up until I'd backed into the coffin and couldn't go any further. But it kept on advancing. I told it to leave me alone, but it wouldn't."  
  
"I know. I heard you."  
  
"Sorry. Anyway it was getting closer and closer until it grabbed my arm... and then I woke up! ...And you had hold of my arm!"  
  
"I may have felt like death warmed up a few times over the last week, but I didn't realise my touch was like it too." Scott was smiling.  
  
Virgil passed his hand over his eyes. "Silly isn't it. Getting uptight over a simple dream. Why do they have to feel so real?"  
  
"Sometimes I think they say the things we're not willing to admit to ourselves when we're awake." Scott said.  
  
Virgil looked at him. "How'd you manage to come up with something that deep at this time of the morning?"  
  
"I've had plenty of experience and time to think about it this past week."  
  
"Yeah, you have haven't you? Waking me up in the middle of the night..."  
  
"Which you've just done to me!"  
  
"It's morning big brother!" Virgil said with a trace of anger. He was still uptight after his dream. "At least I had the decency to wait until a time when you're normally awake." Scott was grinning. "What!"  
  
"It's wonderful to see you mad. It's wonderful to see you! It's just wonderful to see!"  
  
And Virgil grinned in return. 


	4. Thirty Five

Thirty Five - AR  
  
The day felt good. It felt good because at long last they were going home. Home to familiar surroundings, foods and family. If felt good to be alive. To be able to see.  
  
Each man had two bags. Their Grandmother had known that they'd never be able to repack their bags as well as she had and had thoughtfully left them a spare bag each.  
  
Virgil was pacing up and down their room. "If someone doesn't come soon, I'm outta here. I've had this place. I'll meet you at the airport!"  
  
"Calm down." Scott was enjoying the view from the window. "At this rate if anyone decides to check your blood pressure again it's going to be heading through the roof. They'll keep you in."  
  
"Oh, no!" Virgil said firmly. "I'll discharge myself. I'm sure it's this hospital that's upset me. Even if I have to hire a plane myself..."  
  
The door opened.  
  
"Ready boys..." Jeff Tracy started saying, but Virgil was already out the door, one bag held in his good hand. "I guess so."  
  
Scott laughed. "He's been itching to get out of here since you guys left yesterday."  
  
"How are you son?"  
  
"Bright eyed and bushy tailed. And nearly as keen to leave as Virg. I can't wait to see home again."  
  
"Come on then." Jeff grinned as he grabbed Virgil's other bag.  
  
They entered the hallway.  
  
"Hang on." Scott had spotted someone he wanted to talk to. "Nurse Stone!"  
  
She turned with a smile. "Yes Scott."  
  
"I... ah... I'm..."  
  
"Yes?" There was a puzzled frown on her face now.  
  
"I... I wanted to apologise for the way I've treated you over the last week. I have a feeling that I pushed someone over the other day. Was that you?"  
  
"Yes." She said quietly.  
  
"I'm sorry. I don't normally behave like that..."  
  
"I know," she said gently. "Virgil told me. Numerous times!"  
  
"He did?" she nodded. "That'd be Virgil, he's always looked out for me."  
  
"Just like you look out for him?"  
  
"Well I've kinda looked out for all my brothers, since Ma died, being the oldest." Scott said embarrassedly.  
  
"But he's special to you."  
  
Scott looked surprised. "Well I don't know... yes I guess he is. Virg. and I have always been close, even though we've got totally different interests. I probably would have been asking for separate rooms if I'd been sharing with Alan. I don't know, maybe if it had been one of the others I would have been able to go mad at them, instead of you." He cleared his throat. "Look I'm really sorry. I've got no excuses. It must have been the worry, not knowing." He indicated his eyes. "I had to find an outlet and unfortunately I chose you. I'm sorry. Here..." he reached into a bag and pulled out a small posy of flowers that he'd secreted away earlier. "These are to say thanks. Sorry they're a bit squashed."  
  
She took the flowers. "I'm glad things have worked out for you Scott."  
  
He smiled. "Thank you. Thanks for everything."  
  
Further down the hallway, Virgil and Jeff had been accosted by the boy's doctors. "Ah, Virgil!" Dr Carlow said. "We've one thing we want to ask before you go."  
  
Virgil didn't like the look of that blood pressure cuff that the Doctor held in his hand.  
  
"Mr Frank and I have been comparing notes." Dr Carlow continued on. "We've come to the conclusion that Scott's burns were treated at least a couple of hours before you broke your arm. We were under the impression that it was International Rescue's treatment that saved him. Can you explain this?"  
  
"Oh, ah, um." Virgil stuttered, thinking frantically. "As you know Tracy Enterprises cover a number of industries. One is into medical research and they'd come up with this spray, for burns. It's still at the experimental stage, but Father decided to put it in our first aid kits. I used the one stored by the generator."  
  
"He's lucky you did." Said Mr Frank. "I hope, Mr Tracy, that this treatment will soon be past the experimental stage and will be available to the general public. It's marvellous."  
  
"We're working on it." Jeff said tentatively.  
  
Virgil started fidgeting. He wanted to get away from these medical professionals before they asked any more awkward questions, and he wanted to get home! He looked about for his older brother.  
  
Nurse Stone looked past Scott. "You'd better get going. I've got work to do and it looks as though Virgil's going to start walking home if you don't leave now."  
  
Scott laughed. "That's a bit difficult since we live on an island. He's pining for his piano."  
  
"He plays? He's going to find it difficult with that arm."  
  
"I know. It's going to drive him nuts, and he'll probably take the rest of us with him."  
  
The object of their discussion came up to Scott shoulder. "I just realised who you were talking to. Thanks Nurse Stone. Sorry he's been such a pain."  
  
"You don't need to apologise for him Virgil. He's just done it himself, and very sweetly if I might say so."  
  
"Scott?" Virgil appeared surprised. "Sweet? Somehow the two don't fit together." Scott gave him a light push. "Ow! Mind the arm!"  
  
Scott picked up his bag. "I thought you wanted to get out of here."  
  
"I do. Let's go." They said their final farewells and met up with Jeff who was holding a large handful of glossy brochures.  
  
"Some light reading?" Scott asked.  
  
"It's the equipment they want me to purchase. I've told them I'll get my 'medical advisor' to look them over and that I'll get back to them with my decision within the week."  
  
They stepped out into the bright sunshine.   
  
Scott put on a pair of sunglasses to protect his eyes and surveyed the grey car park. "What a great view. Hey Virg. What say we go check out the flower garden?"  
  
"No way! I'm off home. The view there will be better." Virgil said.  
  
"True. Let get out of here!" 


	5. Thirty Six

Thirty Six - AR  
  
Later that day Jeff held a debriefing.  
  
Everyone in the household attended, eager to find out just what exactly had happened to Scott and Virgil.  
  
By the end of the session, they had a good idea of the events that had happened, and some idea of the emotions that accompanied it.   
  
"Anything you want to add boys?" Jeff asked.  
  
"Well there is one thing." Virgil said hesitantly.  
  
"Yeah. Something important." Scott said in the same tone.  
  
The family waited.  
  
"Well?" John asked.  
  
Scott cleared his throat but didn't say anything.  
  
They looked at him expectantly and then back at Virgil.  
  
He adjusted the placement of the knot on his sling.  
  
"Well?" Gordon asked.  
  
Virgil cleared his throat. "When you're stuck in a situation..."  
  
"...that seems hopeless..." Scott added.  
  
"...such as trapped in an ventilation shaft..." Virgil said quietly  
  
"...with icy water up to your necks..." Scott spoke equally quietly  
  
"...getting higher and higher,..."  
  
"...and you're getting colder and colder,..."  
  
"...you start to think of things that you wished you'd done..."  
  
"...or that you'd wished you'd said..."  
  
"...to those you care about..."  
  
"...and you hope for the opportunity..."  
  
"...to do those things..."  
  
"...and then when the opportunity arises..."  
  
"...it's amazing how difficult it is..."  
  
"...to say them." Scott finished.  
  
The assembled group had been watching this exchange like a tennis match, amazed at how smoothly the transition between speakers had progressed. Jeff was once again reminded of the almost telepathic link between his two sons.  
  
It was Gordon who broke the silence. "Have you two been practising this?"  
  
They appeared surprised. "Practising what?" Scott asked.  
  
"Saying whatever it is you're talking about."  
  
They looked at him blankly.  
  
"Hand's up all those who know what these two are on about." John asked  
  
No hands were raised.  
  
"What we are trying to say..." Scott started  
  
"...is how proud we are..." Virgil continued  
  
"...to be part of this family,..."  
  
"...including Brains..."  
  
"...and Tin-Tin and Kyrano,..."  
  
"...and how proud we are..."  
  
"...to work with you..."  
  
"...as International Rescue...."  
  
"...And how we admire you..."  
  
"...individually..."  
  
"...and as a team..."  
  
"...and how we respect your talents..."  
  
"...and the contributions you each make..."  
  
"...and while sometimes..."  
  
"...you really annoy us..."  
  
"...especially when you put frogs in my bed..."  
  
"...we..."  
  
"...we..."  
  
"...we..."  
  
"..."  
  
"..."  
  
"All the way home." Alan interjected exasperatedly. "What?"  
  
Virgil looked at Scott.  
  
Scott looked at Virgil.  
  
"Love you all." They said embarrassedly in unison.  
  
Gordon sat back, his hands held up protectively. "If you to are going to start kissing us, I'll tell you right now, I'm leaving!"  
  
"Some things don't need to be said." Jeff noted. "We all know."  
  
"But sometimes it seems important to have said them." Scott protested.  
  
"Honestly!" Grandma Tracy rebuked them. "Why do you men find it so difficult to express your feelings and emotions?"  
  
"Yes, why?" Tin-Tin added emphatically. Though it wasn't at any of the older Tracys she was looking at. Alan blushed.  
  
"Somehow it seems easier when you think you're going to die." Virgil said pathetically.  
  
His grandmother let out a snort that showed her disgust at such an idea.  
  
"And you thought you were going to die?" Jeff asked cautiously.  
  
Virgil let out a mirthless laugh. "No of course not. I didn't once give up hope."  
  
"Just as I didn't panic." Scott added ironically, before facing his father. "Just like we know you didn't seriously consider shutting down International Rescue, because of your concerns for our welfare."  
  
Jeff stared at him. "Why'd you say that... I didn't... how'd you know..."  
  
"We all know Father." Virgil said. "Every time one of us gets into trouble you think along the same lines. But I think I speak for all of us when I say that we'd be disappointed if you did shut up shop, just because something happened to one of us... or two of us." His brothers nodded their agreement.   
  
"Virgil's right Dad." Gordon said. "International Rescue is bigger than all of us and more important."  
  
Jeff looked at his team - his family. "I'm proud of you all." He said simply.   
  
They all looked embarrassed.  
  
Jeff decided that it was time to bring the meeting to a close. It was his turn to clear his throat. "Have we learnt anything from what happened?"  
  
"Yeah. Don't look over walls when the generator's about to blow." Scott said wryly.  
  
The resulting laugh brought closure to the debriefing. 


	6. Thirty Seven

Thirty Seven - AR  
  
It was almost lunchtime the following day. Scott was on his way to the dining room when he bumped into Virgil, who was carrying an envelope.  
  
"What have you got there?" Scott asked.  
  
"My case notes from the hospital. I thought I'd give them to Brains for my medical records."  
  
"Good idea." Scott turned back towards his room. "Give me a moment and I'll get mine."  
  
They found Brains in the dispensary. "W-What can I do for you?" he asked.  
  
"It's our hospital records." Scott dropped his onto the tabletop. "We thought you'd want to keep things up to date."  
  
Brains retrieved two very thick files. He picked up Scott's file and slotted the papers into it. He then looked at Virgil.   
  
Virgil looked at the file in his hand. "Um Brains. I was wondering if you could clarify something for me."  
  
Scott looked sharply at Virgil as his younger brother handed over the file. Brains took it. "O-Of course Virgil. Wh-What?"  
  
Virgil tried to sound nonchalant. "I was wondering if I was reading the graph on page three correctly."  
  
Brains turned to the page in question and studied it closely. His stained finger traced the line of the graph until it hit the bottom. He stared at it for a moment, swallowed and then looked back at Virgil. He said nothing, but the expression on his face was eloquent.   
  
"Thought so." Virgil said unemotionally. "Thanks Brains." Without a further comment he left the dispensary.   
  
Scott still needed confirmation. "So he did die, Brains?"  
  
Brains nodded dumbly. "He had no h-heart b-beat to speak of. Y-You could say that h-he w-was d-d-dead."  
  
"Thanks Brains." Scott hurried back into the hallway. He was just in time to see Virgil turn the corner that would lead back to his room. Scott caught up with him. "Hey" he said as brightly as he could. "The dining room's that way."  
  
"I'm not hungry." Virgil mumbled.  
  
Scott stopped him. "You know Grandma's been working flat out to cook us our favourites. You can't disappoint her. Come on, at least make an effort." He took Virgil by the shoulders and turned him in the correct direction. Half-heartedly Virgil began walking towards the sounds of the family arriving for their meal.  
  
Scott made sure that he was seated beside Virgil. At first the family was in high spirits, but as time went Virgil's mood began to weigh heavily on them. Brains kept on looking anxiously as Virgil as if he was the one to blame for his friend's depression.  
  
"Come on Virgil. You haven't touched a thing." Jeff eventually said.  
  
Virgil laid down his fork with some finality "Guess I'm not hungry. Sorry Grandma... If you'll excuse me..." He pushed his chair back and left the table.  
  
"Virgil!" Scott dropped his own fork and took off after his brother.  
  
The rest of the family all looked at each other in bemusement.   
  
"What's wrong with him?" Alan asked. "I would have thought he'd be pleased to be home."  
  
"I-I think it's my f-fault." Brains stuttered.  
  
"Yours?" Gordon asked.  
  
Brains nodded unhappily.  
  
"What do you know, Brains?" Jeff asked quietly.  
  
"V-Virgil asked m-me to r-r-read his c-chart from th-the h-hospital." Feelings of guilt were exacerbating Brains' stutter. "I-I c-confirmed th-that his h-h-heart st-st-stopped for 28 seconds."  
  
"What?" Mrs Tracy gasped and her hand went to her own heart.  
  
Jeff laid a comforting hand on her arm. "He's alright now Mother. Don't worry." Then he turned back to Brains. "How'd he react?"  
  
"H-He didn't. J-Just th-thanked m-me and left."  
  
"You knew?!" John asked his father.  
  
Jeff nodded.  
  
"No wonder you were in such a hurry to get to him." Gordon said numbly. "I'm sorry Dad." Jeff smiled gently at him.  
  
"When did it happen?" Alan squeaked. "I mean was it before you left home?"  
  
Jeff shook his head. "No. Just after I got there. I walked into the room and there were all the hospital staff working on him. I'll tell you, those 28 seconds were the longest I've ever experienced. People yelling and grabbing various bits of medical equipment, and my son lying unmoving in the middle of it all. I'm glad they got Scott out of there before it happened." He stopped talking and his mother took the opportunity to squeeze his hand. "I told the staff not to tell him or Scott how close it'd been. I didn't want Scott to worry about Virgil and disregard his own health. We just insinuated that it had been serious, but not life threatening. I should have known they'd find out somehow."  
  
"You turning up unannounced must have sparked their interest." John pointed out.  
  
Jeff stood. "I'd better go talk to him."  
  
***  
  
Scott stood in the doorway to the lounge. He watched Virgil seated at the piano, pressing keys one at a time. There was no pattern or rhythm to the notes. Virgil only played like this when he was depressed.  
  
Scott took a deep breath and plastered a smile on his face. "Why so glum, Virg.?" He asked brightly. "You're alive."  
  
"Only just." Virgil said quietly. "It was that close Scott."  
  
"I know." Scott said equally quietly.  
  
"It's frightening to know how easy it is to die. We weren't out on a rescue. It was just a reaction to the medication."  
  
"I know." Scott repeated again, unsure of what else to say.  
  
Virgil played a couple more notes and then slammed the lid of the piano shut. "I mean, it's not only me. It happened to Ma. It could happen to any of us. Grandma, Father, you..." He looked up into Scott's bandaged face. "It came so close to being you when that generator blew."  
  
"Yeah, but it wasn't. And it wasn't you either. It just wasn't our time to go." Scott indicated the piano. "Why don't you try playing something?"  
  
Virgil raised the cast "It may have escaped your notice Scott, but I'm a bit incapacitated at the moment."  
  
"Only one hand." Scott walked around to Virgil's left side and gave him a slight push. "Go on, move over."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Move over so I can sit beside you."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Are you being deliberately dense? I may not be up to your standard, but I can pick my way around a piano keyboard. You play the treble and I'll take care of the bass."  
  
"But can you see the music okay?"  
  
Scott stared at the sheet music short-sightedly. "Sure! Not a problem." He raised the keyboard's lid. "You count me in."  
  
They started off tentatively and got steadily worse. "It should be 'legato' - smoothly and evenly," Virgil said. "You're playing it 'staccato' - sharply."  
  
Scott let his hand flop into his lap. "I'm sorry. I guess I can't read the music well enough at the moment. And I can't remember the Concerto that well."  
  
"We were playing the Prelude." Virgil informed him.  
  
"Oh." Scott picked up the sheet music and held it close to read the title. "So it is. Sorry."  
  
Jeff was standing at the doorway. "Scott! That was terrible!" he chuckled.  
  
"Gee thanks. A guy makes an effort and he gets laughed at. Let's see you do better."  
  
"I think I can do better." Jeff walked over to his desk. "But not in the way you mean." He retrieved a flat package and brought it over to the piano. "My sources finally tracked this down. It arrived on the mail plane today. I bought it for you Virgil."  
  
"For me?"  
  
"Yeah well. I'd already booked a seeing eye dog for Scott and I thought you deserved something as well. It's taken this long to get it."  
  
"You'd what!" Scott stared at his father.  
  
"Only kidding Scott. I knew you'd be fine."  
  
Virgil was trying, unsuccessfully, to undo the sticky tape. "This is a two handed job."  
  
"Here let me." Jeff loosened the tape. "There you go."  
  
Virgil folded back the brown paper. "Music." He said deflated.  
  
"Ever heard of Guiseppe Bocelli." Jeff asked him.  
  
Virgil wrinkled up his brow in a frown. "The composer?"  
  
Scott was examining the sheet music. "Hey! Have you seen the title of these?" He held one up. Printed across the front was "Concerto for the Right Hand".  
  
"That's right." Jeff said. "I got him to arrange some of your favourites. I thought his works might tie you over until you get your left hand operating again."  
  
"You did! Thanks Father! Let's see." There was a trace of eagerness about Virgil as he placed the music on the piano. He started off with a set of scales to get warmed up. "I'm a bit rusty." He began playing. As the music flowed from his fingers they could almost see his depression float away.  
  
"Nice one, Father." Scott said quietly, before turning the page for Virgil.  
  
Jeff smiled. "Anything for you boys."  
  
Virgil finished the piece and was surprised to receive a round of applause. The entire family were standing watching him.   
  
"Encore, encore." Alan shouted.  
  
"Encore? Well okay. Here's another piece for the right hand." Virgil played seven notes. 'Shave and a haircut - two bits'. And then grinned as his family shared in the joke.  
  
"I'm going to start thinking about what to make for dinner." Mrs Tracy said.  
  
"What already!" Tin-Tin exclaimed. "We've barely finished lunch."  
  
"Oh I thought Scott and Virgil might want something special." She beamed. "Any suggestions boys? I could bake a pie."  
  
"Apple?" Scott said hopefully.  
  
"Apple pie for Scott. Virgil?"  
  
Virgil shrugged. "Anything would be fine Grandma. I'm just happy to eat your cooking rather than hospital food."  
  
Scott nudged him. "Anything you DON'T want? Any flavours..."  
  
The light dawned. Virgil glared at Alan. "Yeah anything but orange, beetroot and liver." Alan turned beet red. "Something chocolate would be nice. I missed out last time."  
  
"Fine!" Grandma Tracy said happily. "I'll go get my recipe books."  
  
"The seed is planted." Scott whispered to Virgil.  
  
"Yep. Time to start watering it..." 


	7. Thirty Eight

Thirty Eight - AR  
  
Virgil wandered into the lounge. He was pleased to note that, beside his father working as usual at his desk, both Alan and Gordon were present. He adjusted his sling so it would be more comfortable, and walked over to Gordon, making sure he brushed Alan's foot as he went past.  
  
"Glad I found you Gordo'. I'd like to use your... expertise..."  
  
Alan shifted uncomfortably.  
  
"My expertise? Sure Virg. What?"  
  
"Ah, not here." Virgil was watching Alan sweat out of the corner of his eye. "Somewhere a little more... private."  
  
Jeff was pretending not to watch what was going on. He lifted a report so that his sons couldn't see the smile that threatened to break out on his face.  
  
Gordon grinned, he was beginning to get the idea. "Okay. Do I need any equipment?"  
  
"Possibly. I'll let you decide"  
  
Alan couldn't take much more of this. "Is it anything I can help with Virgil?"  
  
Virgil smirked and patted Alan condescendingly on the shoulder. "No thank you Alan. You just stay there, then when we need you, we can find you."  
  
Alan sweated some more but didn't move from his seat.  
  
Virgil led Gordon to his bedroom. Scott was already there waiting.  
  
"Right!" Gordon rubbed his hands together eagerly. "What do you want me to do? Dye his face green while he's asleep? Put a stink bomb in his bedroom? Shave his head? Or something better."  
  
"Oh, it's something better." Scott told him.  
  
"Right, so what do I have to do?"  
  
"Nothing." Virgil told him.  
  
"Nothing?" Gordon's face fell. All sorts of devious scenarios disappeared from his mind.  
  
"Nothing." Scott confirmed.  
  
"I don't get it."  
  
"You saw how Alan was starting to stress." Virgil told him.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Now Scott's going to increase the pressure."  
  
Scott stood up. "Just point me towards the door."  
  
Alan was jumpy, but relieved, when he saw it was Scott who walked into the lounge. "How's things going Scott."  
  
"Things are going great... for me, Alan." Scott's face, hidden behind bandages and dark glasses, was unreadable. "If I were you though, I'd be worried."  
  
"Worried?" Alan squeaked.  
  
"I've just passed Virgil's bedroom. He and Gordon are in there plotting something, and laughing their heads off. I heard your name mentioned a couple of times, along with haircut, dye job and green."  
  
"Oh, heck."  
  
"You know Virgil was pretty sore at you for swapping the transmitters. You've got no idea the number of times he threatened to kill you. I thought I'd managed to talk him out of it, but now I'm not so sure."  
  
Alan swallowed deeply and then stood suddenly. "Dad?"  
  
Jeff removed the smile and then the report that hid his face. "Yes son."  
  
"I think I'll go do some work on Thunderbird Three."  
  
"That's good Alan."  
  
"Yeah. Um there's something that I really want to get finished, so I might not be back for dinner. I might be quite late."  
  
"I understand Alan. Would you like me to arrange for one of your brothers to bring you up a bite to eat."  
  
"My Brothers! N-No thanks. I'll be fine. If I'm hungry I'll grab a snack before I go to bed." He scrambled for the sofa.  
  
Jeff toyed with him for a moment longer. "Would you like someone to give you a hand? I'm sure one of the boys would be willing to help, then you might be finished in time for dinner."  
  
"Ah, no thanks, Dad. It'll be better if I can work by myself - then I'll be able to concentrate better."  
  
"Fair enough. If you need anything, just call."  
  
"Thanks Dad." Jeff watched his youngest son's face relax as he finally submerged through the hole in the floor.  
  
The arrival of the replacement sofa was heralded by a chorus of laughter from the hallway. Virgil and Gordon staggered in, supporting each other.   
  
Gordon clapped Virgil on the back. "Virg. That was brilliant! I take my hat off to you."  
  
"Hey, I didn't have to do anything." Virgil was wiping his eyes. "It was you guys who did the work. And Father... you just capped it off... 'I'm sure one of the boy's would be willing to help...'" Still laughing he collapsed into a chair.  
  
"I shouldn't have, but I couldn't resist." Jeff admitted. "Now that I've implicated myself, just what do you have planned Virgil?"  
  
"Nothing." Virgil told him.  
  
"Nothing?" Jeff was confused.  
  
"Nothing." Virgil said emphatically. "You saw how Alan was reacting. I'll bet he's got half a dozen scenario's running through his head, and each of them will be ten times worse than anything I could come up with, even with Gordon's help."  
  
"And we got it all on video." Gordon crowed. "And when Scott's got his 20-20 back we can watch it again, and again, and again..."  
  
"You can watch what again and again." Tin-Tin asked as she entered the lounge.  
  
"A little movie called 'Retribution'." Gordon told her.  
  
"What?" Tin-Tin was confused.  
  
"What do you suppose he's actually doing in Thunderbird Three?" Scott asked.  
  
"Want to find out?" Jeff asked, his grin threatening to split his face in two.  
  
"You bet." They moved over so that they were next to Jeff's desk.  
  
"Base to Thunderbird Three." Jeff activated the radio and made sure his face was now serious.  
  
He had to repeat the call, before Alan made an appearance. "Yes, Dad?" he asked a trifle nervously. He could see his brothers on the video screen.  
  
"How's it going son?"  
  
"Oh, fine, fine."  
  
"Just what are you doing?"  
  
"Doing? Um - this and that."  
  
"The way you were talking before it sounded as though you had a project in mind."  
  
"Yeah... well... I'm still deciding on the best plan of action."  
  
"Need a hand?" Virgil asked him.  
  
"Or three?" Gordon added.  
  
"I'd offer, but I'd probably not be able to see well enough at the moment." Scott said. "Besides it's just on dinnertime."  
  
On cue their Grandmother appeared at the doorway. "Boys! Dinnertime!"  
  
"It's time for dinner Alan." Jeff said. "Do you want to join us?"  
  
"Dinner..." Alan appeared to waver. "No, no, I'd better get on with what I'm doing. I'll talk to you later, probably tomorrow." He shut down communications before his stomach got the better of him.  
  
"You know Virgil." Gordon said slyly. "It's a bit mean for the poor kid to go without his evening meal."  
  
"Yeah, you're right." Virgil agreed. "Let's get him something special!"  
  
They were back a moment later, Gordon was carrying a tray.   
  
"Thanks Grandma." Virgil called back into the kitchen.  
  
"What have you got there?" Jeff asked.  
  
"Alan's dinner." Gordon said innocently as he placed it on the sofa/lift.   
  
"Shall I let him know it's coming?" Jeff asked.  
  
"Yes. No! Wait a minute. Can I borrow a bit of paper and a pen?" Virgil took the requested items from Jeff.  
  
"Watcha doing?" Gordon strained to look over Virgil's shoulder.  
  
Virgil turned so that his brother couldn't see the paper. "Just telling Alan that it's safe to come back." He continued writing.  
  
"That's a mighty long 'you're forgiven' letter you're writing there." Scott commented.  
  
Virgil looked up, a twinkle in his eye. "Well, maybe it's saying a little more than you're forgiven."  
  
"Yeah! What?" Gordon tried to see again and was once again blocked by Virgil.  
  
Jeff was watching Virgil write. "You're lucky you can write with both hands."  
  
"Yes." Virgil agreed. "You know the old joke 'I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous'? Well I've given my left." He continued writing and the paper started sliding about the shiny surface of the coffee table. "Scott can you steady this for me?"  
  
"Do you trust me not to read it?" Scott asked.  
  
"No I trust you not to be able to see it." Virgil finished the note and, with a little difficulty, folded it in half. "Can I have a couple of bits of sticky tape?"  
  
Jeff gave them to him and then watched as Virgil lifted the cover that sat over the plate and stuck the note to the inside. He grinned when he saw just what Alan was being offered on the plate. "A square meal then."  
  
"Yes." Gordon said. "Meat and two veg."  
  
"That's a fruit." Scott pointed out.  
  
"Still will be good for him."  
  
Virgil replaced the cover. "There we go. Send it on down Father, and you can let him know it's on the way."  
  
The tray disappeared into the floor.  
  
"Okay Virgil. Just what was on that note?" Scott asked.  
  
"You'll find out soon enough." Virgil smirked. "If he's hungry."  
  
***  
  
Alan received the call from his father with mixed feelings. He was hungry, but was wary about what the plate would actually contain.  
  
Arming himself with a long pole he approached the tray warily. It looked perfectly normal. No sign of any booby traps. He still didn't trust it.  
  
He stood as far back from the sofa as he could and slid the pole under the cover.  
  
Nothing happened.  
  
With a flick of his wrist he sent the cover spinning. The plate and its contents lay exposed on the tray.  
  
A whole orange.  
  
Sliced beetroot.  
  
And a rather unappetising piece of raw liver.  
  
"Funny Virgil, really funny." He muttered sourly as he retrieved the cover. He noticed the note and gingerly removed it. He began to read. "That's cruel, Virgil! No way I'm doing that!" Then he looked back at the plate. Perhaps swallowing his pride would be easier than swallowing the meal he'd been provided with. 


	8. Thirty Nine

Thirty Nine - AR  
  
"So what did you put in that note?" Gordon persisted in asking Virgil as they sat at the meal table with the rest of the family.  
  
"If he's as hungry as I think he is you'll find out soon enough." Virgil informed him. "I think you'll appreciate it."  
  
"You coming with us when I go back to Thunderbird Five tomorrow morning, Scott?" John asked.  
  
"I hope so. I want to get an eyeful of that view from space."  
  
They'd only just started eating when Alan made an appearance. He placed his tray on the kitchen counter. "Where's my dinner?" he asked innocently.   
  
Virgil arose and moved away from the dining table so that he was standing in front of the reheater. "In here. Do you want it?"  
  
"Yes please."  
  
"Then you know what you have to do."  
  
"Virgil. This is cruel." Alan protested.  
  
"Fine. I'm sure Gordon and I can think of something else."  
  
"Yes!" Gordon piped up. "I've got one or two ideas."  
  
"Okay, okay." Alan said quickly. "What do you want me to do?"  
  
"You know what. Read what's on the paper." Virgil told him.  
  
With a pained expression Alan took the note from his pocket and unfolded it. "Alan. You are forgiven." He read quickly and then folded the note up again.  
  
"And the rest." Virgil said sternly. "It won't kill you." He refrained from adding 'like you nearly did to me.'  
  
"Aw Virgil."  
  
"Come on Alan. I'm dieing to know." Scott said.  
  
Alan sighed. He was beaten. He unfolded the note again and started to read again. "'Alan. You are forgiven if you read the following out in front of our family.'" He gave Virgil a pained looked before plunging on. "'Thunderbird One is...'" his voice lowered in tone until it was inaudible.  
  
"I didn't hear that." Virgil said evenly.  
  
"Neither did I." Said Scott. "What's that about Thunderbird One?"  
  
"We all want to hear." Jeff was sitting at the far end of the table. "Speak up boy!"  
  
Alan grumbled to himself. "Okay." He shot Virgil a dirty look. "'Thunderbird One is a joy to fly, better than Thunderbird Three...'" Scott's face broke into a delighted grin. "'I promise to take good care of her until Scott is able to take over again, at which point I shall reluctantly hand her back.'"  
  
"You'd better look after her." Scott said.  
  
"'Thunderbird Four is more useful than Thunderbird Three...'" Alan continued on.  
  
"I could have told you that." Gordon interrupted gleefully.  
  
Alan ignored him and pressed on doggedly. "'...and so I would like Gordon to give me more lessons in how to use her properly. I want to get a better understanding of life beneath the waves.'"  
  
A laugh rippled around the table. Alan had never had any interest in anything below sea level.  
  
"'I enjoy my time on board Thunderbird Five more than I do getting there in Thunderbird Three. I therefore respectfully request that I spend more time up there freeing John to do more rescues on Earth.' Virgil!"  
  
"I like the sounds of this." John said.  
  
"'Thunderbird Two is the most useful craft in International Rescue's fleet. She is beautiful and should be accorded the respect given to a Queen.'" Alan looked as if he was going to be sick. "'It is a privilege to be able to travel in her and I would never presume to be a good enough pilot to even consider sitting in her pilot's seat. I will never again say an unkind word about her.'"  
  
Virgil smiled at the testimony. It didn't sound sincere, but just hearing the words was good.  
  
"'Thunderbird Three is nothing more than an overgrown firecracker.'" Alan read woodenly. "'If she weren't needed to transport us between home and Thunderbird Five I would suggest that she be sold to the nearest scrap merchants.'" Alan was shooting daggers at Virgil who smiled back contentedly. "'Or perhaps given as joy ride at 'Space World' theme park.'"  
  
To Alan's relief he was almost at the end of the page. "'I also hereby promise not to leave any more frogs about Virgil's room.' I didn't! That was Gordon!"  
  
"No it wasn't!" Gordon protested.  
  
"Sure, Alan." Virgil didn't believe him.  
  
"'I, Alan Tracy, formerly apologise to Virgil Tracy for exchanging my edible transmitter for his and I'm sorry for all the discomfort that I caused.' Are you happy now Virgil?"  
  
"Very."  
  
"Peace?"  
  
"Peace." Virgil opened the door to the reheater and retrieved Alan's dinner.  
  
Alan tore up the paper. "And apart from that last sentence I renounce everything I've just said."  
  
"Shame." Gordon said. "I was looking forward to giving you lessons."  
  
"You'd better not back down on your promise to look after Thunderbird One." Scott growled. "That's not negotiable. You break her and you'll have more to worry about than reading out a letter."  
  
"I'll look after her. Don't worry." Alan was pushing his food about his plate. "Is this safe?"  
  
"It's safe Alan." Virgil assured him.  
  
"Gordon?" Alan asked his brother with a warning look.  
  
"I promise, I haven't touched it." Gordon held up both hands in submission.  
  
"But can I be sure."  
  
"Alan, I haven't touched it!"  
  
"John?"  
  
"Don't look at me kiddo. I haven't touched it either."  
  
"But has Gordon?"  
  
"Alan! I haven't!"  
  
Jeff looked around the table in satisfaction. For the first time in a long time his family were relaxing all together. He took in his mother pretending to ignore the chaos that was going on around her; Brains deep in thought; Kyrano quietly enjoying his meal; Tin-Tin gazing dreamily at nothing; Alan, Gordon and John bickering amongst themselves; Scott helping Virgil cut up his dinner. Virgil looked up and saw his father's eyes on him. He smiled and winked before turning his attention back to his meal.  
  
Jeff smiled. He felt good. Things were the way they should be. 


	9. Forty

Forty - AR  
  
Scott wandered past Virgil's bedroom. The door was open. Virgil was on his hands and knees peering under the bed.  
  
"Whatcha doing?" Scott asked.  
  
"Looking for frogs." Virgil's muffled voice said from beneath the bedclothes. "I'm not going to be caught out again."  
  
"Are you still going on about that?" Scott asked. "It was only a joke frog after all."  
  
"Yes it was." Virgil agreed. "But it'd been left on my pillow and what I didn't realise was that it was full of green slime type stuff. When I picked it up I squeezed it and it squirted slime all over my pillow and sheets. I had to change them and I couldn't do it by myself, not without spreading the slime even further. So I had to ask Grandma to help me."  
  
"Is that such a bad thing?"  
  
"She decided that since I needed help with changing the sheets, I needed help elsewhere. She's tidied my whole room. I couldn't stop her. It was like a tornado that cleaned instead of wrecking the place. She's put everything away so it would be easier for me. And now I can't find a thing!"   
  
Scott tried to hide a smile. "Well that's not too bad."   
  
"Not too bad! She's taken my paint smock to clean. She said she couldn't understand how I could work in it. It's only paint stains! And now she's not going to give it back to me until it's white! Imagine a white paint smock!"  
  
"Oh." Now Scott understood. "I'm sorry Virgil." He seemed genuine.  
  
"Why?" Virgil asked cautiously.  
  
"It was me who put the frog on your pillow."  
  
"You!" Virgil was devastated. "Why?"  
  
"I had a lot of time to think and not much else to do while I was in the hospital." Scott explained. I remembered that I had this joke frog." he shrugged. "I decided that if I got out of there with my sight intact I'd put it on your bed. I knew you'd think it would have been one of the others that'd done it and thought it'd be interesting to see who'd take the blame. I forgot about the slime..."  
  
Virgil looked hurt. "After all I did for you."  
  
"I'm sorry Virg." Scott said guiltily. "Tell you what. I'll go see if I can get your smock back okay?"  
  
"It'll be too late now. She'll have it soaking in something." Virgil said sullenly.  
  
"Maybe not." Scott said hopefully. "I'll go and look." He quickly headed out of the room.  
  
Gordon came out of his hiding place. "See I told you it must have been Scott."  
  
Alan followed suit. "And all that time you were blaming us."  
  
"Sorry guys. But you were the obvious choices!" Virgil said. "I would never have thought of Scott doing it. I think he genuinely did forget about the slime."  
  
"Shame about your smock." Gordon commented.  
  
A small smirk played across Virgil's face. "Yeah wasn't it. I hope he doesn't ask Grandma where it is."  
  
"Why?" Alan asked, curious.  
  
"'Cause she won't know." Virgil's smirk became bigger. "It's still in my room. I managed to get it off her before she took it away. I've hidden it in case she comes back."  
  
"So he's looking for something that isn't there." Gordon grinned.  
  
"Yep. How long before we let him out of his misery?" Virgil asked.  
  
"Wait till he comes back with his tail between his legs." Gordon advised. "It's best to let these things take their course."  
  
"I bow to your expertise." Virgil laughed.  
  
Half an hour later Scott was back.  
  
"Virgil!" he exploded, face like a thundercloud.  
  
"Yes Scott." Virgil said innocently.  
  
"I've just been talking to Grandma!"  
  
"Yes Scott." Virgil repeated, his expression still beautifully innocent.  
  
"She said you've got your smock. That you wouldn't let her leave the room until she'd given it back!"  
  
"Did she say that?" Virgil feigned amazement. "Now that you come to mention it... it does ring a bell."  
  
"Ring a bell? I'd like to ring your bell! I've just spent the last half hour going through the family's dirty laundry trying to find your blasted smock. It's not pleasant getting up close to Alan's dirty socks."  
  
"I thought you were looking for a smock not a sock." Gordon had emerged from his hiding place again. "That's smock with a m..."  
  
"How could you tell they were mine?" Alan asked indignantly.  
  
"I couldn't tell whose they were. I just know they smelt. And I had to take everything out so that I could see what it was." Scott frowned at his two youngest brothers, who grinned engagingly back. "Where did you two come from?"  
  
"Oh we were just waiting to see if we've convinced Virgil that it wasn't us who put the frog on his pillow." Gordon said.  
  
"Yeah, nothing like a full confession to establish innocence." Alan chimed in.  
  
"Fellas." Virgil said seriously. "I'm sorry for every false accusation I've made over this issue."  
  
"Apology accepted Virgil." Gordon said magnanimously.  
  
"So you put him up to this?" Scott asked. "Grandma didn't really tidy your room, Virgil?"  
  
Virgil made a face. "Yes she did! And yes I can't find anything! And yes it was your fault! So I say we're even now. Peace?"  
  
Scott's frown deepened and then relaxed into a grin. "Yeah. Peace." 


	10. Forty One

Forty One - AR  
  
The following evening the lounge was relatively quiet. Jeff was in his customary place. Scott and Brains were challenging each other to a game of chess. Scott had insisted that Brains remove his glasses, reasoning that if the two couldn't compete on brainpower, they should at least be on equal terms for vision. Virgil was at the piano, trying to remember the tune he'd composed while he'd been trapped in the ventilator shaft. He nearly had it. He'd periodically trill a few notes on the keyboard, and then he'd scribble a few bars down on the rapidly filling sheet of music in front of him.  
  
Alan and Gordon came into the room, whispering to each other like naughty schoolboys.  
  
"There he is." Scott heard Gordon say.  
  
"Go on!" Alan said.  
  
"No you go!" Gordon pushed Alan forward.  
  
No one else took any notice of this pantomime.  
  
"S-Scott. It's your move." Brains squinted at his opponent.  
  
"Sorry." Without really paying attention Scott shifted a piece.  
  
"Ah ha! Check!" Brains said.  
  
Scott looked back at the chessboard. He hadn't meant to shift that rook and now he'd sacrificed his queen. He was starting to consider his next move when his attention was once again commandeered by his two youngest brother's antics.  
  
They had their eyes on Virgil, who, head bowed over his music, was oblivious.   
  
Gordon shoved Alan again. "Go on!"  
  
They were beside the piano now. "Ah Virgil?" Alan said nervously.  
  
Virgil didn't look up. "Mmmn."  
  
"What was... what was it like?"  
  
Still concentrating on the score Virgil murmured indistinctly, "What was what like?"  
  
"Um. You know."  
  
"No? What?" Virgil laid down his pencil.  
  
"Being... Being dead?"   
  
Virgil looked at him, surprised.   
  
"We were just wondering... you know." Gordon said quietly.  
  
"Why?" Virgil asked for want of something better to say.  
  
"We-We've all seen it." Alan stammered. "But you've actually experienced it."  
  
Scott was wondering if he should butt in, but Virgil was shaking his head. "I don't remember."  
  
"But you hear of people having near death experiences." Gordon pressed him. "You must have experienced something."  
  
"I don't remember." Virgil repeated. "All I remember is talking with Scott and then the next thing I'm back in bed, aching all over and Father's looking as if he's ready to have a heart attack."  
  
'If you knew what they'd done to you, you wouldn't be surprised at how sore you were.' Jeff thought as he monitored the conversation.  
  
"But you were dead for 28 seconds..." Alan insisted. "Surely you remember something!"  
  
"You know... bright lights... someone waiting for you at the end of a long corridor... meeting deceased family members... a sensation of floating and looking down on yourself... Anything?" Gordon prompted hopefully.  
  
Jeff decided the conversation had gone on long enough. Virgil's expression clearly expressed that he thought so. Jeff opened his mouth to speak...  
  
"Guys. Leave it." Scott said quietly, beating Jeff to the punch. "He's told you he can't remember anything. Now leave him alone."  
  
"But Scott..." Alan protested.  
  
"I'm sorry." Virgil apologised. "But I can't remember."  
  
"That's okay." Gordon said brightly. "Come on Alan."  
  
"But..."  
  
"Come on!" Gordon said with more force and he grabbed Alan by the sleeve and dragged him out of the room.  
  
"I-It's your move, Scott." Brains said quietly.  
  
"Just a minute." Scott stood up and walked over to the piano. He leant on it so he could see the troubled frown on Virgil's face. "You okay?"  
  
"Yeah... Yeah I'm okay." the frown softened. "I just didn't expect that question."  
  
"They shouldn't have asked it."  
  
"Don't be hard on them. I might have been asking myself if it had have been one of you guys." He chuckled. "Maybe next time I should take a camera... or at least my sketch pad."  
  
"Don't let there be a next time." Scott ordered him quietly. "Once was enough. My nerves couldn't stand a second time."  
  
'Me neither.' Jeff thought to himself.  
  
"What's this about you talking with me?" Scott was asking. "I don't remember that."  
  
"You were asleep, sleep talking. We had quite a conversation until I passed out."  
  
"You were talking to me? And I was asleep?"  
  
"Funny isn't it. You were talking to me like we are now, except you were asleep and I wasn't feeling too good."  
  
"What were we saying?"  
  
Virgil furrowed his brow in thought. "You wanted me to shine a light so that you could see. I had to tell you I didn't have a light." He said a trifle sadly. "You also made me promise not to leave you."  
  
Scott looked at him seriously "I'm glad you didn't break your promise." 


	11. Forty Two

Forty Two - AR  
  
Scott was standing on the gantry, staring out over the sleek lines of Thunderbird One. He'd been home a week and his eyesight had improved. But he still hadn't piloted a plane. More importantly, he hadn't piloted THIS plane.  
  
After a week of fear that he would never fly her again, he'd waited with eager anticipation for the moment when he'd be given the all clear. That moment still hadn't arrived. He was sure that he could pilot her perfectly safely, but frustratingly, no one else agreed.  
  
He heard a door behind him open, but didn't look around.  
  
"Thought I'd find you here." Virgil said lightly. "Father's looking for you." He lifted his broken arm so that it was resting on the safety rail.  
  
"Is he?" Scott said absently.  
  
"He said something about wanting to go over some equipment with you." Virgil continued on conversationally.  
  
"Did he say which?"  
  
"No. Something pretty important by all accounts."  
  
Scott didn't move. "How're you coping, not being able to fly Thunderbird Two?"  
  
"I'll live." Virgil pulled a face. "Don't tell him I said so, but Gordon's actually pretty good at flying her. I'm worried he'll get the job permanently."  
  
He was pleased when Scott laughed. "Never! You're too much in tune with her. And there's no way that he could fly Thunderbird Two and still pilot Thunderbird Four. And none of us has the aquanautic skills to take over his role."  
  
"I wouldn't want to either." Virgil said. "I prefer flying above the water. Let Gordon get his feet wet."  
  
"Chicken!"  
  
"Yeah" Virgil held up his broken arm. "And at the moment my wings are clipped."  
  
"From what I hear," Scott noted. "John did a pretty good job piloting Thunderbird Two from Thunderbird Five. We might get him to do the job permanently."  
  
Virgil snorted. "I talked to him about that. He's vowing never again!"  
  
Scott smiled and then looked back at Thunderbird One. "I was so scared I'd never see her again." He said quietly. "Never be able to fly her again."  
  
"Won't be long now." Virgil told him.  
  
"It's been too long already." Scott said irritably. "I could do it perfectly safely, if they'd only let me."  
  
Virgil eased his arm off the rail. "Come on. You know he doesn't like being kept waiting."  
  
"Yeah. Guess I'd better." Scott cast one last longing look at Thunderbird One and then followed Virgil back through the door.  
  
***  
  
"Ah Scott. Good there you are." Jeff said genially. He'd been talking with Alan. "I've got a job for you."  
  
"Sure. Doing what?" Scott said with more enthusiasm than he actually felt.  
  
"Alan wants to get a bit of practice landing Thunderbird One through the swimming pool. He's fine with launch and flying, but needs practice landing." Jeff said smoothly. "How'd you like to keep an eye on him."  
  
"Sure." Scott said flatly.  
  
"Since he doesn't need to practice the launch..." Jeff continued on, "we thought you might like to take care of that bit of procedure. Maybe take Thunderbird One for a test flight around the island, check she's working correctly."  
  
Scott stared at his father. International Rescue's craft were never to be used for joyrides under any circumstances, but training and testing were a different matter. Scott felt a smile grow on his face. "You mean it?"  
  
Jeff Tracy also had a small smile playing about his lips. "Of course I mean it. Just make sure Alan lands her."  
  
Scott started heading over to the light fittings. "Sure. Not a problem." He glanced over at Virgil who had a big grin on his face. 'You knew!' he thought.  
  
He received a wink of acknowledgement from his closest brother. 


	12. End

End  
  
He felt the power build up beneath them - slightly more than necessary but not too much. She was like a wild beast coiled, waiting to pounce. His heart pounding he threw the lever forward. With a roar the craft was launched out through its exit.  
  
Exhilaration coursed through his system. Flying! He was flying! His eyes flicked over the instruments, checking they were reading correctly, then he looked out the window, watching the white, fluffy clouds as they came closer.  
  
Flying!  
  
***  
  
Jeff couldn't help but smile as he watched Thunderbird One launch through the swimming pool. "I'll bet there was a time that he believed he'd never do that again." He commented.  
  
"There was." Virgil informed him dryly. "Usually while he was asleep. At three o-clock in the morning! He'd keep me awake moaning about it."  
  
Jeff chuckled. Now that things were returning to something resembling normality it was easy to lighten up. A week ago such a comment would have sent a worried frown across his face.  
  
"So..." Virgil continued on. "when do I get to take Gordon for a test flight?"  
  
Jeff tapped him lightly on his cast. "It'll be a while yet I'm afraid..."  
  
***  
  
Thunderbird One changed to horizontal flight.   
  
"How'm I doing Alan?" Scott asked.  
  
"Great." Alan said. "I found her a bit ragged doing tight corners. See what you think."  
  
Scott sent Thunderbird One into a tight U-turn. "Feels alright to me."  
  
"How about steep climbs?"  
  
Scott pointed Thunderbird One's nose to the heavens and let her rip. Then he reversed into a dive, before launching another manoeuvre and then another...   
  
Thunderbird One performed flawlessly. Scott performed flawlessly.  
  
"Base to Thunderbird One." Jeff's voice sounded almost apologetic over the radio.  
  
"Thunderbird One." Scott acknowledged.  
  
"Time to come home. The mail plane will be here in about half an hour." Jeff said. "Don't forget to let Alan land her."  
  
"F-A-B" Scott acknowledged and turned Thunderbird One back to the island. "Hey Alan. Thanks."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"You know for what. A guy who can land a rocket as big and powerful as Thunderbird Three, through the Round House, doesn't need practice landing Thunderbird One through the swimming pool. Whose idea was it?"  
  
"Dad's."  
  
"Remind me to thank him too." Scott brought Thunderbird One in to hover over the swimming pool and hesitated.  
  
"Scott." Alan prompted. "My turn."  
  
"I could do it Alan!"  
  
"I'm sure you could. But what would we tell Dad?"  
  
"He doesn't have to know everything does he?"  
  
Alan grinned, then unbuckled his safety harness and rose so that he was standing beside the pilot's seat. "I'm not going to lie to him, even if you're willing to. And you can't land her while I'm standing here. So either you get out of that seat or Dad's going to get very annoyed if Thunderbird One's still hovering over an open swimming pool when the mail plane gets here."  
  
Reluctantly Scott relinquished the controls. Next time he'd land her!  
  
***  
  
It was one year to the day after that fateful Tuesday at Regnad Corp.  
  
A rescue call had come in. John had finished explaining the situation.  
  
Jeff spoke up. "This should be fairly straightforward boys, but I can't emphasise enough that speed is of the essence. Virgil. I don't think you'll need any assistance. It sounds easy enough."  
  
Scott and Virgil were both jogging over to their respective secret access ways. They skidded to a stop.  
  
"Easy?" said Scott.  
  
"No assistance?" said Virgil.  
  
Scott looked at Virgil.  
  
Virgil looked at Scott.  
  
"Ah, Alan!"  
  
"Ah, Gordon!"  
  
"What?" Their two youngest brothers chorused.   
  
"How'd you like to take Thunderbird One?" Scott asked Alan.  
  
"How'd you like to take Thunderbird Two?" Virgil simultaneously asked Gordon.  
  
"Are you two feeling alright?" John asked, amazed.  
  
"Really?" The youngest chorused again in astonishment.  
  
Virgil looked at Scott.  
  
Scott looked at Virgil.  
  
"Nah!" they said in a chorus of their own.  
  
And were gone in the blink of an eye!  
  
************************************************************************  
  
To everyone who loyally read Blind Ambition to the end... well one of them anyway.  
  
Sorry it was cut into two. I hope it wasn't too confusing to read. Imagine what it was like to upload. ;-)  
  
Also, I would like to say thanks to everyone who gave me such wonderful reviews. I really appreciate the fact that you took the time to write them.   
  
Purupuss 


End file.
